Kerei USA

Kirei is a Japanese word signifying many meanings, including Beautiful, Clean, Pure and Truthful. These combined meanings are the starting point for our philosophy, which is to bring beautiful, natural materials to today’s contemporary designers. Each of our products uses reclaimed, non-toxic materials to lessen our impact on natural resources and contribute to a beautiful, clean, healthy indoor environment. These principles also apply to the way we run our company, using recycled products and efficient, sustainable practices.

Since 2003 Kirei has been dedicated to bringing beautiful, natural materials to market, enabling architects and interior designers to create elegant interior spaces while using sustainable, nontoxic materials. Our goal is continual introduction of new materials while improving our production and business practices to be as low-impact and sustainable as possible. We regard the "Triple Bottom Line" of "People, Planet, Profit" to be the guiding principle of our company. We aim to bring new economic activity to our source regions by providing new jobs at fair market wages in a safe, healthy workplace while lessening human impact on the environment. These principles, we believe, will result in a profitable company that "Does well by doing good." We practice continuous improvement of our business practices to lower our carbon footprint and waste generated, while valuing team input from all of our members.

Reclaimed & Rapidly Renewable Materials
Kirei Board, Kirei Coco Tiles and Kirei Wheatboard
Kirei panels use rapidly renewable and reclaimed agricultural fibers to create unique, environmentally friendly interior design materials. Kirei Board, Kirei Coco Tiles and Kirei Wheatboard are manufactured using reclaimed agricultural fiber from the Sorghum, Coconut and Wheat plants grown around the world for food. After harvest the stalks or coconut husks are usually burned or thrown into landfills. By using them in the production of Kirei Board, Kirei Coco Tiles and Kirei Wheatboard this material is removed from the waste stream, reducing landfill use and air pollution, while giving rural farmers a new source of revenue from previously unused waste material. Rapidly renewable or FSC-certified wood are used as bonding strips, greatly reducing the need for newly harvested wood for building.

Kirei Bamboo
Kirei Bamboo uses the fast-growing (as much as a foot per day!) Moso bamboo grass to make ply panels and veneers with the modern bamboo look. The fiber produced from these dedicated bamboo plantations is greater than would be produced from similarly committed wood forest land, helping to reduce pressure on habitat from clearcutting. (PS- no pandas are harmed in the taking of bamboo for our panels - in fact the plantations, which are generally reclaimed farmland, help to preserve uncut habitat.)

Low-VOC Emissions
Formaldehyde has been shown to be a harmful indoor air pollutant present in high levels in many indoor spaces. Using Kirei products can help reduce ambient formaldehyde emissions often found in new construction. Our products utilize low-or no-added urea formaldehyde adhesives to minimize any formaldehyde emissions. All Kirei products will meet California’s stringent new CARB air quality standards, as well as qualifying for LEED points for Low Emitting Materials. Kirei Zero Bamboo utilizes no-added urea formaldehyde adhesives, so if your project requires NAUF bamboo panels, specify Kirei Zero bamboo.

For more information:US Green Building Council and LEED www.usgbc.orgCARB www.arb.ca.govForest Stewardship Council www.FSC.org

Contribution by Lauren Wymore